According to data from the International Organization for Migration, 559 people died in the Mediterranean during January and February, compared with 287 in the same period last year.
In December, 17 migrants southwest of Crete were found dead inside their boat, which was taking on water and partially deflated.
Greek authorities found only two survivors, reporting that 15 others had drowned.
Their bodies were never recovered.
To curb crossings, the European Parliament on Thursday endorsed a toughening of the EU’s migration policy and approved the concept of “return hubs”, designed to send migrants to non-EU third countries.
Those proposals have been criticized by human rights groups as inhumane.